Final Dayton Riverfront Plan to be presented during public meetings this June

}
05 - 01 - 18
Mark your calendars for the unveiling of the final Dayton Riverfront Plan on Tuesday, June 12 at the Dayton Metro Library Community Room from noon…

Mark your calendars for the unveiling of the final Dayton Riverfront Plan on Tuesday, June 12 at the Dayton Metro Library Community Room from noon to 2 p.m. or 6 to 8 p.m. Dayton Riverfront Plan partners will give a presentation of the final plan and then host breakout sessions so attendees can ask questions and learn more about the future of Dayton’s riverfronts.

“The final plan is truly a reflection of what the community wants to see from our riverfronts,” said Five Rivers MetroParks chief of planning and projects, Carrie Scarff. “Without consistent input from the public during public meetings and through surveys, the project consultants and the Dayton Riverfront Plan partners would not have been able to develop such a robust plan.”

The Dayton Riverfront Plan and the 10 subsequent park site plans address specific goals the community and Dayton Riverfront Plan creators wish to achieve:

  • Economic engine: Leverage the rivers to catalyze development in greater downtown and ensure long-term vitality to the region.
  • Something for everyone: Provide programs and experiences, and ensure their equitable distribution across the riverfront
  • Heart of Dayton: Enhance Dayton’s identity through place-making initiatives that celebrate the historic legacy, cultural heritage and vibrant future of its rivers.
  • Healthy city: Build in places and programs that support health, safety and wellness for all who live, learn, work and play along the riverfront
  • Many rivers, one city: Improve access through physical connections to and across the riverfront and to the surrounding community
  • Living protection: Promote the ecological health of the riverfront while continuing to protect from flooding

You can learn more about how Dayton Riverfront Plan partners plan to address goals to harness the rivers to create an economic engine and something for everyone by reading past blog posts.

“The river corridors will strengthen the heart of the city, one that is unique to Dayton.” Scarff said. “This heart will reflect the city’s history and culture, both of which have made Dayton the authentic and vibrant city it is today,” Scarff said.

Indeed, this goal can be accomplished in the following ways:

  • Connecting east and west: Currently, Sunrise MetroPark lines the far bank of the Great Miami River on the west side of downtown Dayton. Sunset Park is the new open space that was created by the realignment of 1-75 across the river from Sunrise MetroPark. These two parks will be designed together, creating a unifying space at the river where the west and east come together. This unification will banish the legacy of the river as a cultural divide in the city and harken to the thriving west side of the early 20th century. To further bolster that connection, an iconic pedestrian bridge is proposed across the river from Sunrise MetroPark to Sunset Park.
  • Public art for all to enjoy: The plans also take advantage of one of the city’s great cultural institutions: The Dayton Art Institute. Art will enliven the downtown riverfront in the form of murals, sculpture and other creative expressions. Art in the landscape reflects the community’s personality. Additionally, placing public art along Dayton’s downtown waterway will reinforce gateways to the river, offer opportunities for storytelling, and create rich and beautiful spaces for people to thrive together.
  • Connecting to culture: The Stillwater River corridor is lined with a delightful collection of Dayton’s best cultural assets including:

These assets will be linked by a 4-mile cultural trail from Wegerzyn Gardens MetroPark to Deed’s Point MetroPark across from downtown enriched by converting North Bend Boulevard to a pedestrian promenade. The trail experience will be enhanced by a series of Link bike stations, opening the opportunity to everyone to take a beautiful and leisurely ride along the riverfront.

Stay up-to-date on the Dayton Riverfront Plan by visiting www.daytonriverfrontplan.org and don’t forget to save the date for the unveiling of the final Dayton Riverfront Plan:

HOW TO GO:

Dayton Riverfront Plan Public Meetings

Tuesday, June 12

Dayton Metro Library, 215 E. Third St., Community Room

Noon to 2 p.m. or 6 to 8 p.m.

 

Send these updates to your inbox

News

Winter 2023-24 Progress Report

Below is the long list of the Plan’s projects that have been completed, are underway, or are funded.   Overall Plan Recommendations Projects Completed Develop the Dayton Riverfront Plan website at daytonriverfrontplan.org Develop a comprehensive waterway access...

Update on the Cultural Corridor

Big things are happening in the Culture Corridor of the Dayton Riverfront Plan, north of downtown along the Great Miami and Stillwater Rivers. At the confluence of the Great Miami and the Mad Rivers, just across from downtown, the Greater Dayton School is completing...

Realistic goals for ambitious plans

The vision of the Dayton Riverfront Plan is ambitious—The Suns straddling both sides of the river linking downtown to West Dayton; four miles of connected parks and culture reaching north from downtown along the Stillwater River; and a pedestrian promenade along the...